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In an extremely close election for Town Commissioners, Norman Bell narrowly defeated Josh Coder 224-212 Tuesday night, June 18th. Bell, who was considered by some to be the more established candidate, has pledged during his campaign to be transparent and to answer to the citizens of the town. He has also expressed a commitment to replacing aging water infrastructure in parts of the town where lead pipes are still prevalent and to address other complex town issues. During the campaign, Bell ran on a platform of experience in the governance of Oxford as he has been on the Planning Commission for years. He is a retired executive.
Josh Coder, who is newer to Oxford, also ran on transparency and accountability as well as safety and flood prevention. He is a volunteer fireman and a local businessman. In an email to his supporters, Coder wrote his supporters and indicated he may consider a recount due to the closeness of the results. He has also proposed a UNITY potluck to help ease tensions:
It is unclear how or when a recount, if requested, would be conducted.
The 2024 campaign was a very contentious one with allegations of sign stealing, bullying of businesses to take down candidate signs, threats and intimidation. Both candidates spoke out against these actions and reminded their supporters to maintain integrity.
As the town moves forward, there will be many changes. Controversial Town Manager Cheryl Lewis is retiring at the end of June. The town announced that it has put a "pause" on the application process for that job "pending hiring" which signals they may have selected a candidate for the job.
Another election will be held next year, and already names are being touted as possible candidates. It is unclear if Commission President Tom Costigan will run for re-election as he has not made a statement in that regard.
Over the past year and a half, citizens have become more involved and vocal about the management and governance of the town. As one citizen said, "The results of this election won't mean that people will stop demanding transparency and accountability regardless of who gets elected. We have a lot of questions that need to be answered and problems to be solved for ALL of us. The era of a certain circle of people being "in charge" is over."
In a conversation earlier in the Spring, Norm Bell expressed confidence in his ability and a firm commitment to solving problems, listening to citizens, and communicating information. He said he hopes that more people can become involved on committees and commissions.
There was a time when Oxford couldn't get more than one person to run for Commissioner in an election year. The good news is that this year, they had two very strong candidates who have stepped up to make the town better.
